Interesting Quilt Backs, Stash Report, a GREAT Shade Plant

There are many quilts that will tell you they need a solid, clean, matching back.  Especially if the top has a lot of WHITE, you need to exercise caution to ensure there is no ghosting of a dark print to the quilt top.
But many, many quilts are pieced in darker colours and have such a lot of activity going on, why not use up your leftovers on the back? These look so much more interesting.

The pantograph I used on this quilt looks really good with the large scale print in the middle of this back.

I love the slightly off-kilter wonkyness (ha ha - Google doesn't like that word) of those log cabin blocks on this back.

Really, I love my job.  If I live to be one hundred I will never have the time to play around with all these design ideas.  As a longarm quilter at least I can enjoy them vicariously.

BLOODROOT
I was gifted with some pots of Bloodroot and Trillium last spring from a friend.  I have learned over the years that I should plant things in more than one location, because you can never tell where a plant is going to be happy.  Here is the bloodroot happily blooming away near the back door of the house.  It gets sunshine IN THE SPRING for several hours, but soon this will be completely (and I MEAN completely) filled with hostas.  The other clump was planted waaayyy over on the side of the yard in the treeline, and they look pretty happy too.  This little flowerbed at the house is well taken care of and gets regular watering.  Over in the treeline the plants have to be very self-determined to survive because they don't get nuthin' except sometimes eaten by Peter Rabbit.  (on a side note - my darling dog Sadie finished off one of the Peter Rabbits and left it as a gift on the back patio.  At least this one was whole, as opposed to the last one that was only maybe a quarter of a rabbit.  ick.) It will be interesting to follow these two sets over the years to see how they compare.

Be cautious when handling Bloodroot.  It will cause lesions and scabbing of the skin.

It's a little bit early to do a monthly stash report, but I have no expectation that I'll get anything finished enough to report a usage number.  See what happens when you go away for a week?  And go to a fabric warehouse while you're gone?  Note to self:  Really?... adding almost 61 m. in one month.  Was that necessary?
STASH REPORT
Used this month       0.00  Hmm.  So sad.
Used YTD                29.54
Added this month     60.8
Added YTD              70.3
Net 2016                 +40.76

Some Pics from MQX

My trip to Massachusetts also included a visit to MQX in New Hampshire.  Hoo baby - there is no end of inspiration there.  Here are pics of a few of my favorite quilts.

This was the big winner at the show.

As a machine quilting show, the quilts are often hung so that you can see the BACK of the quilts too.  Here, you can see why.

This is a gorgeous red quilt, using hexies and other interesting shapes.

Another hexie quilt,

I love Dresden Plates.

Around here...

spring has sprung.  My arms and legs are scratched to hell from doing garden cleanup on a lovely warm day.  But the peas are planted.  :-)

Quilt Nihon at New England Quilt Museum **photo heavy post**

This was the reason I went to New England last week:  The Quilt Nihon Exhibit at the New England Quilt Museum.

This was the quilt you saw first as you approached the top of the stairs.  If you know me at all, you will know that I am an oversized crybaby.  I had to keep a kleenex in my hand while I viewed the quilts.

As you look at the pics, note the cards that indicate HAND PIECED.

As you also should know, I am a machine quilter.  But let me tell you - I have SO MUCH admiration and respect for the skill of hand quilters.

I love Dresden Plate quilts.  I've completed two so far and am working on a third, but mine will never compare with the likes of this one.

This is the style of Japanese quilt that first attracted my attention many years ago.  I got a subscription to Quilts Japan magazine because of these.  And that led me to my Asia trip in 2009 when I went to the International Great Quilt Festival in Tokyo (and a wee side trip to Singapore to visit my niece).

OMG.  I do not have words.

My index finger, just to give you an idea of the size of those appliqued circles.

I'm a huge fan of red/white/black quilts.  Japanese quilts are also where I developed my love of 'word' fabric.

As one of my traveling companions noted, this is a wonderful blending of traditional and modern styles.  Curved piecing is one of my favorites.

After a couple of hours upstairs viewing the quilts we browsed the gift shop on the main level.  This funky window treatment made me giggle.

You can click on a photo in this post and it will bring up a 'film strip' along the bottom of your screen.  From there, you can view all these pics in a large version.
This is a tiny sample of the quilts.  There are 32 quilts on exhibit until the end of April.  If you are able, don't miss this.  And take kleenex.  :-)